Joseph Ade-Gold, Contributor

The news of demonic and occult practices in our schools islandwide is becoming more frequent and more disturbing. Parents will want to know that their children are learning in school, and not being frightened by students who are demonised.

One of the most common practices in schools - if not the most common - is the practice of Blood Pacts. In past times, it was seen as a harmless and even cute means of two or more friends pledging their eternal commitment to remain friends forever. How is it done? Each person scratches or cuts a finger, then causes the blood to drip on to a piece of paper and writes his or her name with the blood, thus a lasting covenant is formed.

This practice has, however, evolved a far way, and the faade of innocence has been removed. Today, the young people who form Blood Pacts in schools make no pretence of their intentions - committing him or herself to the devil. Though there are varieties to this practice, the all have the same effect.

When making a Blood Pact made to the devil, the students chants the name 'Satan' or 'Lucifer' and uses the blood to make an upside down cross, or to write 666 - the sign of the anti-Christ, or other satanic signs.

Bishop Joseph Ade-Gold is a Christian Counsellor, Deliverance Minister, and senior pastor of Overcomers World Ministries. He may be reached at joadegold@hotmail.com.

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What effects does this practice have on the students and on the school? Among them are:

1. The students become fearful and concentration becomes difficult.

2. The students mayhave a sudden urgent desire to transfer from that particular school.

3. The students may have trouble sleeping, especially in a dormitory environment.

4. More students may begin to show symptoms of demonisation.

5. The principal and teachers may become confused in their thoughts , and may feel ashamed to seek help so as to prevent the public from knowing about the situation.

When instances of demonic manifestations arise, the school authority need to take the following actions:

1. Contain the news of the situation as much as possible. Make every effort to keep it from the larger school population. Take the student to a private area for interrogation and safe keeping.

2. Call the child's parent immediately.

3. Recommend the parents to a Christian counsellor where they can take the child for spiritual and psychological counselling. It is advisable to recommend a counsellor with a firm knowledge of the demonic.

4. Do not engage in deliverance if you do not know much about it, lest the situation gets out of hand.

5. Do not allow the student back into the school system until it is certain the student has been through counselling and prayers and is free from demonic manifestations. The counsellor should be able to give this recommendation.

6. In a boarding system, do not keep the demonised student in a dormitory with other students, as this may cause fear in other students, and some may become affected.

There are several other common satanic practices in our schools that are oftentimes introduced as fun and harmless. Practices such as:

Channelling - a process whereby spirits communicate and speak through a person;

Occult games and satanic websites.

Let us save our children and make our schools a safe and spiritual clean environment.

I would like to make the following recommendations to the Ministry of Education to assist in dealing with this problem:

1. Investigate rumours or news of satanic practices in schools.

2. Establish a regulation against blood pacts in schools.

3. Take measures to bar students from accessing satanic and occult websites on the schools' computers.

4. Remove the teaching of occult practices such as palm reading, tea-leaf reading, and levitation in the school curriculum. All of these are now in a widely used CXC English language textbook. Promoting occult practices within the school curriculum certainly gives rise to the prevalence of these practices.